Lewis & Short

laxo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. (rarely n.; v. I. B. 2. β. and II. B. β. infra) [id.], to stretch out, extend, to make wide or roomy, to expand.

  1. I. Lit.: forum, Cic. Att. 4, 16, 8: manipulos, to open the ranks, Caes. B. G. 2, 25: lilium ab angustiis in latitudinem paulatim se laxans, Plin. 21, 5, 11, § 22.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. To open, undo, unloose (syn. solvo): vincula epistolae laxavit, Nep. Paus. 4: nodos Herculeos, Luc. 4, 632: ubi dolor vocem laxaverat, had loosened his voice, Just. 42, 4, 13: claustra, Verg. A. 2, 259: claustra portarum, Juv. 8, 261: intestina, Plin. 8, 36, 54, § 129.
      2. 2. To slacken, relax: laxare arcum, to slacken, unbend, Phaedr. 3, 14, 11: excussos rudentes, Verg. A. 3, 267: laxantur corpora rugis, become flabby with wrinkles, Ov. A. A. 3, 73: laxatis habenis invehi jussit, Curt. 4, 9, 24; 4, 15, 3: laxatisque vinculis … ostendit manum, Just. 14, 4, 1: se cutis arida laxet, Juv. 6, 144: oleum ad nervos laxandos utile est, Plin. 23, 8, 80, § 157: corpus velut laxatum, Petr. 82: ferrum, to smelt, Stat. Achill. 1, 429.
          1. (β) Neutr.: crebris fluctibus compages operis verberatae laxavere, were loosened, opened, Curt. 4, 3, 6.
      3. 3. To lighten, ease: pharetra graves laxavit umeros, Sen. Herc. Oet. 787.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. To lighten, relieve, unbend, recreate (syn.: levo, libero): a contentione disputationis animos curamque laxemus, Cic. de Or. 3, 61, 230: judicum animos atque a severitate ad hilaritatem traducere, id. Brut. 93, 322: animum ab assiduis laboribus, Liv. 32, 5: ut istis te molestiis laxes, release yourself, Luc. ap. Cic. Fam. 5, 14, 3.
    2. B. To relax, mitigate, moderate, abate, weaken: alicui laxare aliquid laboris, Liv. 9, 16: vix primos inopina quies laxaverat artus, Verg. A. 5, 187: placida laxarant membra quiete … nautae, id. ib. 5, 836: subtile examen justitiae, Gell. 1, 3: iram, Stat. Th. 6, 831: nigrantes tenebras id. ib. 12, 254: paulatim temeritate laxata, Petr. 82: longiore dierum spatio laxare dicendi necessitatem, to prolong, delay, defer, Quint. 10, 5, 22: memoriae inhaeret fldelius, quod nulla scribendi securitate laxatur, id. 10, 6, 2: rarescit multo laxatus vulnere miles, weakened, Sil. 17, 422.
      To lay open, disclose, reveal (poet.): fata latentia laxa, Stat. Achill. 1, 508.
          1. (β) To reduce the price of: annonam, Liv. 2, 34, 12; so neutr., to lessen, fall in price: annona laxaverat, Liv. 26, 20.—laxātus, a, um, P. a., spread out, separated, extended, wide.
    1. A. Lit.: custodiae, i. e. separated, withdrawn, Liv. 21, 32 fin.: custodia, Petr. 112: membrana laxatior, Plin. 19, 1, 3, § 17: laxati ordines (aciei), Tac. H. 3, 25; Sil. 9, 364: corpore laxati, released from the body, Cic. Rep. 6, 15 fin.
    2. B. Trop.: libidinum vinculis laxati, released, freed, free, Cic. de Sen. 3, 7: laxatus curis, id. Tusc. 1, 19, 44: pugna, a battle broken off, Liv. 21, 59: nox, i. e. clear, Sil. 13, 550.